Dossier is in Ethiopia!!!

Received word today our Dossier is officially in Ethiopia!!! YAH! We also were told some news about the region our children are from. Here's what our agency has found out so far:

“The Oromia officials announced that they will be writing guidelines for all orphanages/adoptions from their region BUT they will not do so until after the elections in late May. No further announcements or news will be heard until after the elections.”

So this means that they will not even start reviewing the guidelines until late May. This means that children and their paperwork are not going to move anywhere until officials make a decision. We do not know how long it will take.
We will let you know when we get any new information."

So this means we will be waiting a while for a court date. But at least it's better than no news at all. I kinda figured this to be the case. They didn't want to mess with it until after the elections. Makes sense I guess that way the ones writing the rules will be able to see them through. It doesn't make it any easier on us waiting but God knows what he is doing.

On a side note we had a great meeting with our Pastor who came out to our home to visit yesterday. I have to admit I was nervous but I don't know why. growing up it was not strange to have one of our senior Pastors at our home for a bible study. it didn't take long for my nerves to be calm. He has a calming spirit about him. Makes you feel comfortable when he speaks to you. It was a good visit for our entire family. The kids enjoyed having company over as they always do.

I pray for our children here and overseas that they feel the love of Christ in their lives. For the two in Ethiopia I pray someone will tell them of his love and HE will comfort them when we can not. For my two home grown kidos I pray I can lead them on the right path and they will continue to walk it when I am gone.

Random Wednesday

Thought a lot last night night and today about the mother of our referred adoptive children. I pray that someone will tell her of the love of Christ. That she will be given peace in and through HIM.

I could not image the pain and hurt she must feel and there is only 1 who can ease her pain and suffering.

We often feel for the children but forget in some cases there is a mother, father, family left behind. They are not heartless, uncaring, callous, or cold. Most truly love their children and want a better life for them than what they have the means to give. I hurt for those who have to make this choice. I can not image having to choose this for my children or myself. Being a Mother of two children I can not image being apart from them even if it was for their own benefit.

Please join me in praying for these families who are left to carry on without their little ones that someone will cross their path and lead them to the ONE who can ease their pain. God the only one who knows their hearts and sacrifices.

Bible verse of the week(actually weeks) for me

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from
the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give
them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons
from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth." Isaiah
43:5-6

Dossier update

Well, our dossier got through Washington and the Ethiopian Embassy and is on it's way to Ethiopia this week. YAH! 5 months of my life spent on paperwork. We are just so glad it is done.

That's the Good news. Now we are being told that our kids still can't be released until the ban on Shashemene region is lifted. Pray please for our two kids to be released very soon so they can come home. We were asked again today : How long will you wait?" Well I do not have an answer for that. I guess as long as God tells us too. I mean our wait has just really started. 6 months, 2 years it's really up to HIM not us. I really feel these kids are to be Kirkland's so we wait. If we are told not to wait anymore for these two that just means God has a plan for them and for us.

We received an update on our baby girl. She is hitting all of her developmental stages. Great! Only issue noted was she is not adjusting to strangers. So sad for her. What will she think of us. We pray God will prepare their hearts for us just as he is ours for them.

On a separate note we got our trip shots today. Wow, I take shots pretty good but man 5 at one time was apparently to much for me. After the 3rd one I had to sit down and have them give me a drink. They say my face and lips lost all color. I could have told them that from the ringing in my ears to the dry metal taste in my mouth that I was going to go down if I didn't get something to drink. She asks did you eat today? Well sort of. Had a half bowl of cereal at 9 am. Shots were given at 1:45 whoops should have eaten. Jim was there with KK and when the nurse left the room in such a hurry for my drink I could hear him say Ha she's passed out. Ha No I didn't all the way:) Jokes on him. I just needed a minute to compose myself.

Dossier on it's Way

Well, Today was a huge day for us. Mom and I drove to Indy to get our two papers in the dossier authenticated at the state level. 5 1/2 hrs later we were back home. I dropped Mom off and went straight to the bank to get our agency fee check and the Embassy checks all done. Then off to UPS to overnight them all out. The Dossier should arrive in Washington today!!! It's been such a long time getting to this point. We are still having trouble with getting our I71 approval since the state claims they have never received a copy of our home study even though I personally overnighted 1 and the agency did as well. So a third times a charm.

When I go t home from I told Jim well no turning back now our money and paperwork is out of our hands. He looked at me so serious and said " You know I've been having second thoughts" I could've died. Leave it to him. He must have seen the defeat on my face and quickly said " I was just kidding, relax" Wow not a joke you want to hear at this point. Leave it to him to cause me to have a heart attack:)

He then said it's a huge step maybe we should celebrate. Not something I felt like doing but thought you know he's right. So we asked the kids where they wanted to go to eat. Sub way east fresh they said. That was a mistake. not a relaxing meal at all. My kids acted like they were raised outside the whole time. Jim looks over and says good idea just think 4 of these animals. Now who's having second thoughts:)

Enough ranting. I do have prayer requests.

1. That our paperwork is okay and gets to the proper places in a timely manner

2. that we get our I71 approval since we can't get a court date without it

3. that the region the kids are from will open up adoptions again.

4. That someone over there is showing my kids the mercy and love that they deserve and is sharing Jesus with them as wait for them.

Lord please keep these little ones safe and happy and loved until we can get them home. Prepare our hearts for hem and theirs for us. Amen

Home Study

Well, It's been 4 1/2 months since we started the Home study and we still do not have a final one. I was sent a final certified one this week but it still had mistakes in it. This has been a very loooong part f the process. But I know it's not my time but God's timing. I know I need to let go and let God. It's just really hard for a control freak like myself:) We haven't recieved an update or pictures of the kids since Feb. I just wonder how they are doing. There isn't a day that goes by that we don't talk about them and pray for them. That someone there is loving on them while we wait.

On a good note looks like our church is going to let us have beneift donner sometime in May. Yea!

We ask for prayers for the region our kids are from opens back up the adoption process so the kids there can finally come home to their forever families.

Updates on adoption

Well, alot has happened since my last post. We have switched agencies, and accepted a sibling set of two. A boy about 11 yrs old and his sister who is 13 months old. What is wonderful is that these two kids are siblings to a couple we know at church they adopted 4 , 3 girls and 1 boy sibling set in 2009 and our two are the oldest and youngest of the siblings.

Isn't God wonderful. These 6 children will be able to stay in very close contact see each other and grow up together 7,000 miles away from where they started.

We are very excited and are praying the children are released to be adopted soon. We have a few more documents for the Dossier but should be sending that on in just a few weeks.

We are trying to adjust to the thought of going from a family of 4 to a family of 6.

Now all we have to do is pray for the balance of the funds to come in and well be all set. God has provided 75% of the funds to us before we have even started fundraising. Wow would have never thought we could pull together that kind of money. God does provide.

Caitlyn and Lawson are getting excited. Caitlyn keeps telling me what she is going to do for her little sister and Lawson just wants a brother so bad. They put them in their prayers in the morning and at night. It makes my heart swell that my children have accepted two kids so easily and talk about them all the time.

I dropped off the Bios to the home study agency Tuesday and now we are waiting to be a assigned a social worker.

I have started on the Dossier paperwork as well. I just can't wait to get this first interview underway. We have so many questions.

On a different note the kids and I have started reading Psalms from the begining. We read about 3 a night. The kids enjoy them. We also started the Christmas story as well.

Read about Mary and the Angel through to the 3 kings.

Adoption journey

Hi All sorry it's been so long. I started this blog and kinda forgot about it to be honest. But since we have decided to adopt from Africa I wanted to keep a record of our journey to look back on.

We have just signed on with an adoption agency and home study agency. Our home study first interview will be very soon( as soon as I drop off our Bios to them) We are excited to finally start the process. Our agency tells us it should be between 6-8 months. We are going to view the waiting children lists first instead of them sending us a reference. We can do this because we are completely open to boy or girl just want between ages 2 yrs and 7 years. The agency told me there are lots of children matching those ages so we will view the list once our home study is completed and turned in.

When we were hanging the kid's stockings on the fireplace my wonderful husband turned to me and said this time next year we'll be hanging one more. It really hit home and made it real. God has put a fire in my heart for orphans that I always knew was there but now I feel called to actually follow through with it. please pray for us. It's going to be a long road and I'm not the best at waiting.

Kid Update

Wow, where to start. Lawson is turning six in 12 days. Where has the time gone. Caitlyn aka KayKay will be 3 in May. She's growing into her own now.

Lawson is in Kindergarten now and is adjusting better now. He had some issues with keeping his voice down and paying attention. As most boys do. His favorite things to do are playing with his Godzilla figures, and Monster Trucks. He is Godzilla crazy right now. Everything is all about Godzilla. funny how he gets stuck on one thing and beats it into the ground.

Caitlyn is our little Mermaid princess. She wants to be called Super Ariel all of the time. She's so different than Lawson. She has lots of Little Mermaid toys, dolls, and figures but hardly ever plays with them. Her main toy is her doll house. She loves playing with all of the furniture and dolls. The Loving family set is great. I even enjoy playing with all of the stuff.

The other two "kids" the dogs are doing well. Dapheny the 2 yr old Irish Wolfhound is wonderful now. She's calmed down alot and just seems contented to just be around you. Now Nana the Newfie mix still has alot of growing to do. She's only 12 weeks and weighs 27lbs already. She's very active but she's good company for Dapheny. She's just going through the puppy stage. peeing in the house, taking off with the kids toys and just being all around pain in the hind in. I keep telling myself she'll grow out of it. But not fast enough for me:)